Big changes in city centre square as office and restaurant plan tweaked

Plans for a new office block in an old Manchester city centre square have been scaled back. The fresh plans for the Parsonage Gardens plot would see a 13-storey office block with a restaurant replace two existing buildings on the site.

It follows feedback on previous proposals for a 16-storey tower which were put forward in late 2020. According to developer Beaconsfield, which owns the No. 1 North Parade and No. 5 Parsonage buildings, concerns were raised that the design was not in keeping with the character of the historic square.

Parsonage Gardens is considered a conservation area due to its history which dates back hundreds of years. The first recorded reference to the plot of land now known as Parsonage Gardens was in 1066, after the Norman Conquest.

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Working with architects Squire and Partners, the developer says the new design for the One North Parade scheme, which is smaller in scale, takes inspiration from the historic architecture of the surrounding area, making it 'distinctive without being overbearing'. The developer has also said that the new building has been designed to the 'highest sustainability standards'.

The family-owned real estate business based in Manchester says that it looked at reusing the existing buildings on the site, but concluded that this redevelopment is 'the only viable option'. The two buildings are still used as office space, but they are now 'largely empty', according to the developer.

Beaconsfield Commercial director Stewart Houlgrave said: "We’re delighted to unveil this elegant, unique and sympathetic design for One North Parade by Squire and Partners. Investment is crucial to realising